:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49817161/usa-today-8609867.0.jpg)
The Oakland Athletics had already grabbed one Florida pitcher by the time the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft rolled around on Thursday night. They decided to turn two into farmhands, though, selecting Logan Shore with the No. 47 overall pick in the second round to pair with No. 6 pick A.J. Puk.
If Puk is the power pitcher with nearly limitless potential, Shore is his steadier, more reliable counterpart. Shore has been as steady a hand as Florida has ever had on the mound, and has spent virtually every appearance of his three-year Gators career showing out under Friday night lights, making just one relief appearance in 51 outings with Florida.
He's also been a dynamite starter, posting ERAs of under 2.50 in each of those three seasons against rugged SEC schedules and compiling a gaudy 28-10 career record. Shore hasn't been charged with a loss since April 2015, and has thrown complete games against Miami, Georgia, and Vanderbilt in 2016, with the wins over the Hurricanes and Bulldogs coming via shutout.
Shore's 10-0 record in the regular season in 2016 helped him earn SEC Pitcher of the Year honors in late May, and his phenomenal 2015 NCAA Tournament (4-0, 2.45 ERA) got a first sequel last Friday, as Shore allowed just two earned runs in 6.1 innings of work after throwing just a single inning over the previous fortnight thanks to a stomach bug that all but kept him out of Florida's SEC Tournament run.
Shore doesn't have overwhelming "stuff" by any stretch, though he can fire his fastball in the low 90s when necessary. His genius has lied in command and control of the game, as he mixes a great changeup and an improving slider into the mix, and nibbles at the plate when he wants. That command has helped Shore walk just 59 batters in 300.1 career innings, an enviable stinginess that could be his calling card as a pro.
Shore and Puk represent the poles of Florida's pitching staff over the last three years, one a steady, crafty righty whose stuff doesn't seem like it should be up to snuff and the other a rangy, flame-throwing lefty who can struggle with command and consistency. The A's picking up both makes for a very cool subplot to follow in the near future.